2023-11-07 16:00:00
The South African government announced Monday, November 6, that it would recall its diplomats stationed in Israel for consultations, to “signal” its “concern” about the deadly Israeli bombings in Gaza. He also criticized the positions taken by the Israeli ambassador to South Africa, denouncing his “disparaging remarks” towards those who oppose “the atrocities” committed according to him by the Israeli government.
The terrorist group Hamas, author of the October 7 massacres which triggered the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip which it controls, welcomed the South African decision and called on Pretoria to “break all ties” with Israel.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for its part, gave its support to its ambassador to South Africa, “who represents the position of the Israeli government and people,” according to ministry spokesperson Lior Haiat.
Pretoria has long been a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause, with the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party often linking it to its own struggle against apartheid.
Between Israel and South Africa, checkered relations
“The South African government has decided to withdraw all its diplomats from Tel Aviv for consultations,” Minister to the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshaveni announced to the press.
She did not specify the duration of this reminder, but underlined Pretoria’s “disappointment” in the face of “the continuation of Israeli bombings on schools and clinics” in the Gaza Strip. “This is normal practice, when a situation is very harmful and worrying,” Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said at a separate press briefing.
Diplomats will give a “full briefing” on the situation to the government, which will then decide whether it can provide assistance or whether an “ongoing relationship is truly able to be maintained”.
“We are, as you know, extremely concerned about the continued killings of children and innocent civilians in the Palestinian territories and we believe that Israel’s response has become collective punishment,” Pandor said. “We felt it was important to signal South Africa’s concern while continuing to call for a comprehensive cessation” of hostilities.
Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshaveni, added: “A genocide under the gaze of the international community cannot be tolerated. A new holocaust in the history of humanity is unacceptable. »
She said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was expected to comment soon on the Israeli ambassador to South Africa, denouncing his “disparaging remarks about those who oppose the atrocities and genocide perpetrated by the Israeli government.” “.
The latter’s position “is becoming very untenable” and “the government has ordered Foreign Affairs to take the necessary measures within the framework of diplomatic channels and protocols”, she added.
“It seems that some ambassadors in South Africa have the strange habit of saying what they want,” commented Ms. Pandor. “I don’t know if it’s because it’s an African country and they disrespect us, but it’s something we shouldn’t tolerate.”
Chad, first country to recall its charge d’affaires from Tel Aviv
Numerous demonstrations around the conflict, mainly pro-Palestinian, have taken place in recent weeks in major cities in South Africa.
The South African Jewish community, the largest in sub-Saharan Africa, for its part organized a Shabbat dinner by setting up a table for the number of hostages held by Hamas since October 7 as well as several demonstrations, notably in Cape Town.
In mid-October, Pandor confirmed a phone call with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh to discuss the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, but denied any support for Hamas fighters’ surprise attack on Israel. .
Before Pretoria, the Chadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on November 4 that it was recalling its charge d’affaires from Israel for consultations. Since the start of the conflict, few African countries have openly taken a position; Chad was the first to take the plunge. A serious setback to the rapprochement between the two states, which reestablished their diplomatic relations in 2019, suspended since 1972.
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